Ravindra has been liberal in wrapping TDP’s trademark yellow neck scarves around the necks of those he meets, even if they might belong to the opposition parties.

Machilipatnam: On the heels of Excise Minister Jawahar’s statement that “beer is a healthy drink” comes a gaffe by Minister of Tourism and Youth affairs, Kollu Ravindra, in Machiliptanam on Friday.

Oblivious of who he comes across, Ravindra has been literally wrapping them around with khanduwas – the yellow neck scarf, a trademark of the ruling Telugu Desam Party. He has been liberal with these khanduwas with anybody who comes to meet him or someone he comes across on the road.

This was the case when a group of villagers from Sitarampuram came to meet the Minister to discuss their problem and get it solved. One of these persons was shocked, as he was a hardcore YSRCP supporter and had come to meet Ravindra seeking financial assistance for his ailing wife.

The same thing happened when the minister was proceeding in his car towards Machilipatnam and he came across a group of villagers in a tractor. He stopped the car, pulled out the khanduwas and put them around the necks of the villagers after hugging them. The villagers were taken aback as they too were from YSRCP.

The interesting thing is that the moment Ravindra wraps the khanduwas around the recipients, he declares that they from then on are TDP workers. Is the minister trying to attract the attention of party supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in his own unique way? It appears to be so. But he forgets that the CM had chided the Excise Minister Jawahar for his comment on beer. One wonders what the Tourism Minister’s enthusiasm will invite!